Wild Dogs of Ethiopia

I saw, but mostly heard, wild-bark-their-heads-off-dogs throughout all of Ethiopia. They really amped up the barking at night, but their sharp sounds sort of "blended" in with the screeching brakes on old cars and honking horns everywhere. Once the traffic died down (after 9pm), the sounds of hyenas plus the whining and barking of wild dogs filled the air. 

In the morning, everyone asks how your night of sleep was. Of course, the polite answer is good, and that’s what I maintained...mostly. 

In Lalibela, I finally got the nerve to ask my guide, Mulu, what the deal was with all those barking dogs (a few right under my window, thank you very much). A rainy night was a welcome relief...no barking...at all. 

Mulu then explained to me that most dogs sleep all day long. They do seem to all be wild with no owners (not one had on a collar!), but that’s not true. They "pick" the people and farm animals they want to protect from other animals, thiefs and the like, and bark to alert the owner of the home and property that someone may be lurking around it. There are some false alarms, but overall a really decent way of protecting property. 

BSoleille!

Terri

This photo is one of the many dogs I’ve seen on the trip. All mutts, I did not see one pure bred canine in Ethiopia.